Senior Drivers Over the Age of 85 Have Car Accident Fatality Rate 9 times Higher Than Younger Drivers
In 2009, there were more than 33 million licensed drivers over the age of 65 in the United States and that number is estimated to grow to 70 million by the year 2030. Americans are living longer lives than previous generations but that means many are outliving their ability to drive safely by seven to 10 years. Cognitive, visual and physical declines mean that many elderly people are not able to drive as safely as they once were.
Most elderly drivers recognize their limitations and choose to stop driving in the dark, in rush hour traffic or far away from home even if they resist giving up their license. If you have an elderly parent who is still driving but you don’t feel should be, the first step is to have a discussion and ask them to get an evaluation at the doctor.
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Chickens Running Around 1-5 After Semi-Truck Accident
About 4 a.m. on Monday, February 11, a large tractor-trailer hauling live chickens crashed on I-5 in Olympia, Washington. The accident happened near the exit to U.S. 101 where the truck hit the jersey barrier and knocked down a street light. The driver was not injured.
Three southbound lanes and two northbound lanes were blocked as state troopers conducted the crash investigation and crews cleaned up the scene. The crash made a slow morning commute worse as there was ice and snow on the roadway.
The chickens were found running around the freeway and it was not immediately known how many of the chickens were captured, how many escaped and how many were killed. Based on its size there is a possibility that the truck was carrying hundreds of chickens.
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How to Drive Safely in Snow
Winter weather conditions can be scary and dangerous for drivers and they are a factor in almost half a million crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths every winter, according to research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
Whether you live in an area that gets a lot of snow or only gets buried once in a while, it takes effort to drive safely in the snow and reduce your risk of a snow-related car accident. Those who are overconfident because they have four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive often end up in the ditch. These snow driving tips from caranddriver.com and AAA can help you arrive at your destination safely.
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4-Year-old Boy from Utah Killed in Rear-End Accident
A 4-year-old boy was killed Wednesday, January 30 in a rear-end accident in South Jordan, Utah. A Dodge Neon traveling east rear-ended another vehicle that had stopped because of traffic just after 4 p.m. The initial crash caused the car hit by the Neon to rear-end the car in front of it as well. The 4-year old boy – who was sitting in the passenger seat and not in a child restraint or booster but wearing a seatbelt – was critically injured when airbags deployed from the impact of the crash. He died shortly afterward in the hospital. All other people involved in the car accident were checked by medical responders at the scene and released.
As a result of the tragic crash, South Jordan police sent out a reminder to make sure children under age eight are properly restrained in car or booster seats, and that children under age 13 ride in back seats.
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Video Captures Man Clinging to Hood of SUV In Road-Rage Incident
You never know what a cellphone video camera is going to capture. On January 26, 2019 an onlooker filmed a 65-year old man named Richard Kamrowski clinging to the hood of an SUV as it was driven by 37-year-old Mark Fitzgerald at speeds of up to 70 miles an hour for three miles. The road-rage incident began after the men got into an argument over a minor side-swipe car accident on the Massachusetts Turnpike. Fitzgerald attempted to flee the scene of the accident when the argument began; Kamrowski then jumped on the hood of Fitzgerald’s SUV. According to Kamrowski, Fitzgerald drove fast and slowly, then fast again in an apparent attempt to get him to slide off the hood. It took other drivers – including one with a gun – to convince Fitzgerald to stop his vehicle. Both men were arrested by Massachusetts State Police. Fitzgerald was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, negligent driving and leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage and Kamrowski was charged with disorderly conduct. The man with the gun was not charged. Click here to see the video.
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WA State Ranks as the Worst State to Be a Driver in the Lower 48
Wallet Hub released a study on January 22 highlighting the best and worst states to drive in; data was gathered from agencies including the U.S. Census Bureau, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Energy, the Insurance Research Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Greater Seattle and Washington State overall, did not score well in the study with Washington ranking last among the lower 48 states. This placement drops Washington State from the 47th worst state to drive in 2018.
The study looked at range of factors including gas prices, traffic and infrastructure, safety, parking, positive driving experience, and the cost of car ownership and maintenance. Another study found that congestion in the Puget Sound area ranked ninth worst in North America and 26th worst in the world, almost certainly contributing to a low score in positive driving experience for Washington State drivers. The report points out that apart from the headache and lost time that it causes, congestion costs the average driver over $1,400 per year in the U.S.
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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Sends Ferndale Family to Hospital
A family of four was hospitalized the morning of January 21 for apparent carbon monoxide poisoning at a house in the 6600 block of Church Road in Ferndale, WA. Firefighters responded to the home about 1:50 a.m. after receiving a report of carbon monoxide poisoning with multiple patients. The home had two adults living upstairs who were evaluated and released to go to a friend’s house. They were advised to stay out of the house until an inspection could be done to identify the source of the carbon monoxide and repair the issue. The family of four living downstairs included two adults who were transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s Medical Center in serious condition and two children who were transported in stable condition, according to Whatcom County Fire District 7 Division Chief Ben Boyko. Two family dogs were also removed from the home. One of the dogs seemed lethargic and was given oxygen by firefighters before both dogs were released to the care of the Whatcom County Humane Society.
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Medical Malpractice Lawsuits: Alleged Deadly Dosing by Mount Carmel Doctor
Medical Malpractice Attorney Gerald Leeseberg was hired by the family of Janet Kavanaugh who was 79 years old and near death when she was transferred from an assisted care facility to Mount Carmel West hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Her family asked that lifesaving measures be stopped, and that Kavanaugh be comfortable for her remaining time. Kavanaugh died Dec. 11, 2017. As Leeseberg began to review records from the assisted care facility and Mount Carmel he noticed a concerning pattern. Mount Carmel has now identified 25 patients under the care of William Husel – including Kavanaugh – who received an “excessive and potentially fatal” dose of the opioid fentanyl, which is used as a painkiller. All 27 patients later died, according to a statement by the hospital.
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Surge in Car Crashes at Ferndale I-5 Off-Ramp Despite Improved Signage
Three single-vehicle crashes and a rollover accident on the curved off-ramp for northbound I-5 at Main Street in Ferndale happened in December 2018 and on January 1, 2019. According to Washington State Patrol (WSP), their troopers were called to assist in six crashes at that location over the course of 2018 until the surge of crashes began in December. Better signage had already been added in summer 2018 but that wasn’t enough to prevent the bump in crashes. The causes of the accidents were one for driving under the influence and three for driving too fast for conditions. None of the crashes resulted in medical treatment for injuries.
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Pedestrian Deaths Surge: Marijuana and Smartphone Usage Could be Factors
Pedestrians need to be more careful than ever as pedestrian death rates surge. The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) released a report in 2018 showing that just under 6,000 pedestrians were killed in accidents involving motor vehicles in the U.S. in 2017. While that is the same number of pedestrians killed in 2016, the death toll is the highest it has been in 25 years.